Railroad frog-crossing



(No Model.)

7 O. B. PRICE.

RAILROAD FROG oaossme.

Patented Jan. 13, 1%85.

N. PETCRS PhcKmLiKhogmpbur, Wnshmglun. D. C.

IiNTTEn STATES PATENT UEETcE.

CHARLES R. PRICE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROADFROG-CROSSITNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,613, dated January13, 1885.

Application filed May 31, 1884.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES l3. Pinon, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailroad Frog-Orossings, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is t a frog-crossing constructed and adjustable,as fullydescribed hereinafter, so that trains passing along the main line mayhave an unbroken, and continuous rail, and trains passing from one trackto another may be carried over the main railwithout cutting it, whilethe possibility of accident occurring from carelessness in adjustment iseffectually guarded against.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view showing the tracks and switchat a railway junction or siding with my improved frog arranged to permitthe passage of trains upon the main track only. Fig. 2 is a view showingthe parts as arranged when the trains are to be directed to a siding. Fi3 is an enlarged plan of the crossing-frog. 4 is a part sectionalelevation on the line 1 2, Fig. 1.

A AA are rails of themain track. B B B are rails of the siding; and therails or sections 13 A terminate at the same point, and are connectedtogether to constitute an ordinary point-switch, which may be set toeither of the positions shown in the drawings by swinging the crankswitch-lever D, which is connected bya rod, (1, to a bell-crank lever,b, jointed to the switch-rod c.

In place of the usual permanent frog occupying a position across themain rail A and between the sections B B of the siding, I use acrossing-frog, E, so constructed that it may be thrown wholly to oneside of the main rail A leaving the latter unbroken and unobstructed, ormay be brought into position to connect the rail-sections B B and at thesame time cover a portion of the rail A", to constitute a bridge overthe said rail, upon which the wheels may pass in lines coinciding eitherwith the sections 13 B or with the rail A. The frog adapted for thispurpose may be constructed, supported, and operated in different ways.Itis desirable, however, to connect it with the switch, so that the twoshall be adjusted simultaneously.

lNo model.)

As shown, the frog consists of a rail, (1, pivoted at 00 near the end ofthe section B", and ofsueh length that when in the position shown inFig. 2 it will extend to the end of'the railsection B and rest in a seatin the chair 6 of the said section, the said rail (1 being cut away atthe lower side, as shown in Fig. 4, so that when the frog is set in theposition shown in Fig. 2 the narrow portion of the same will extend orbridge over the rail A. p The face of the rail (1 of the frog isinclined at the opposite ends, so as to meet the faces of therailsections 13 B and afford an easy ascent for the wheels of the car,which are thus carried upon said surface across the rail A? without anycutting of the latter.

To the ties adjacent to the rail A? are secured chairs 1?, which, whenthe frog is in the position shown in Fig. 1., support the elevatedportion of the rail (6 in its proper position. While the bridgerail (Ialone would constitute a bridge frog-crossing adapted to permit carsupon the siding to cross the main rail A with out cutting, it wouldalone interfere with and tend to derail ears passing upon the maintrack, to avoid which I provide the frog with arms 1' f, the faces ofwhich are centrally flush with that of the rail (1, but inclineddownward toward the ends, which arms are set at such an angle that whenthe rail (1 is in line with the sections 13 B the said arms f f will bein line with and cover the main rail A and constitute a bridge uponwhich ears traveling along the main track may travel withoutinterruption.

By the use of a hog-crossing constructed as thus described I am not onlyable to avoid the wear and expense resulting from the use of theordinary permanent frogs, but I am enabled also to avoid the cutting ofthe main track and the injury which results from the use of frogs uponthe main'track where trains pass at a high rate of speed.

As one means of securing a unisonol' ac tion between the switch and thefrog, I connect the operating-rod g of the frog-crossing to a belhcranl;lever, b, the other arm of which is attached to aprolongation of the rod(1, whereby the sliding movement of the latter swings the switclrlever band imparts a like motion to the frog-lever b; and in order sition shownin Fig. 1.

to compensate for lost motion and avoid the necessity of throwing backthe frog to the position shown in Fig. 1 wholly by athrust upon the roda, I connect a spring to the frog in such manner as to tend to hold itin the po- Such spring may be a coiled spring, 8, encircling aprojection of the rod 9, and confined within a box, I, secured to theties between one end of the box and a head upon the rod, as shown.

Although I have shown a frog-crossing in connection with an ordinaryswitch, it will be apparent that it may be employed in connection withthat class of switches intended to direct the cars to a siding withoutany separation or break of the main-track rail A A, and I can thusmaintain a continuous, .unbroken main track along the whole length ofthe line.

A most important feature of my invention is the construction of the frogin such manner that when laid over the main rail, as

shown in Fig. 2, its arms constitute a practical continuation of themain rail, so that in the event of a train passing on the main linewhile the frog-crossing is set for the siding as may happen in practiceby error of operatives) these inclined or sloping arms will guide thewheels safely over what would otherwise be a dangerous obstruction.

The frog, instead of being pivoted at one end, so as to swing intoposition, may be arranged to slide upon bearings upon the ties in thesame manner as ordinary sliding switches. IVithout limiting myself tothe precise construction and arrangement of parts shown,

I clain1 1. The combination, with the main rail A and with thesiding-sections B B of a frog consisting of a rail jointed at one endnear the end of one of the sidi-ng-seetions,and provided with armsarranged to cover the main rail when the frog is in position to connectthe siding-sections, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the siding-sections and rail of the main track,of a frog having a. rail adapted to extend over the main rail, and witharms arranged to occupy a position above and in line with said rail whenthe main rail is crossed by the frog, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the frog adapted to be carried over the mainrail,and provided with arms, as set forth, of connections between thefrog and the switch, whereby the simultaneous adjustment of both issecured, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the continuous main rail of a track, and acrossing-frog adapted to be moved to cover the main rail, switch, andimmediate connections, of a spring connected to the frog and tending tohold it in position away from over the main rail, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. PRICE. \Vitnesses:

CHARLES E. FOSTER, ROBERT S. MACRUM.

